Bedspring-border brace



DON CARLOS TRAVIS.

BEDSPRING BORDER BRACE- APPLICATION FILED JUNE 19.1920.

1,432A99n Patented 00m 17,1922.

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DON CARLOS TRAVIS, KENOSHA, WISCONSIN, ASSIGNOR TO SIMMONS COMPANY, OF KENOSELA, WISCONSIN, A CORPORATION OF DELAWARE.

BEDSPRING-BORDER BRACE.

Application filed June 19, 1920. Serial Ito/890,083.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, Don CARLos TRAVIS, a citizen of the United States, residing at Kenosha, in the county of Kenosha and State of Wisconsin, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Bedspring- Border Braces, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to improvements 1n bed spring border braces and is of especial service in bracing that type of spring construction known in the bedstead art as a coil spring, although of course it may have other applications as will be apparent to those skilled in the art.

The principal objects of the invention are, to provide means for preventing swaying. of the top of the spring when stresses are imposed thereon; to provide a spring-bracing device which will not have any'substantial effect upon the resilience or flexibility of the spring; to provide a construction which will prevent displacement of the edge or border of the spring; to provide a device which will be inconspicuous and neat in appearance, while at the same time being simple and economical in design, construction, and operation; and, in general, to provide an improved bed spring bracing means of the character referred to.

In the drawings, which illustrate my invention as applied to a bed spring of the coil spring type- Fig. 1 is a plan view of a portion of the bed spring; and Fig. 2 is a section on the line 2-2 of Fig. 1.

Referring to the drawings, 1t will be observed that the foundation or base of the spring base has as its main members a series of transversely-extending metal straps or bars 10, which bars are arranged in edgewise relation so as to provide the necessary rigidity and strength to resist vertlcallyimposed stresses. The ends of said stra s or bars 10 are bent at right-angles an secured to a lower border frame 11, also conetructed of flat metal stock arranged in edgewise relation. I

The lower skeleton frame, constructed as aforesaid, su ports a series of spiral coil s rings 12 w ich are connected to ether at t eir upper ends b crossed helica s 13. In order to secure slig tly greater rigidity for the marginal portions of the bed spring, I prefer to employ along said edges, rows of somewhat heavier and shorter springs 14 which are supported on small inwardly extending'lugs 15 secured to a substantially longitudinally-extending steel angle iron 16 connected to the lower border frame 11 by oblique brackets or straps 17 The intermediate springs 12 are connected together by transversely-extending fiat strap members 18 which are suitably conformed to fit between the intermediate coils 19 of the said springs. The spring is also equipped with the usual upper frame or border wire 20 extending around the top of the bed spring. Such a construction as I have described is a well known type of coil spring, and one to which my invention is particularly applicable. I

In order to support my improved bracing device, I prefer to locate between two of the transverse rows of springs an 'ntermediate bar or strap member 21, simil r to one of the transversely-extending frame members 10, and similarly connected to the lower border frame 11. A short fiat upwardl and inwardly extending link 22 having its ower end pivotally connected by a pin or rivet 23 to the frame member 21, has its upper end pivotally'connected by a pin 24 to the inner or lower end of an obliquely-extending strap metal link 25. The upper end of the strap link 25,- as shown in the drawings, is given a quarter turn 26 so as to permit of its upper end being formed around the border wire 20, as shown at 27 the loop 27 being a somewhat loose fit around said border frame 20, in order to provide a free pivotal action on the border wire. At an intermediate point in the length 0 the link 25 and below the bend 26, there is a pivot pin or rivet 28 constituting a pivotal connection 'for the upper end of the upwardly and inwardly extending link 29 the lower end of which link 29 is pivoted on a pin or rivet 30 on the intermediate frame member 21 and adjacent the lower border frame 11. It will be observed that the link 29 is considerably longer than the link 22, and that said links are not parallel, but converge upwardly.

As indicated in dotted lines in Fig. 2, the depression of the top of the spring will result substantially in a vertical movement of the border frame 20 by reason cf the straight line motion produced by the peculiar arrangement of linkage connecting the border wire with the lower frame of the bed spring. It will be observed that the said linkage prevents any swaying of the border wire inwardly or outwardly of the bed, since its movement is confined in a vertical plane or directional line substantially parallel with the vertical axes of the coil springs 12.

Being composed of simple links constructed of strap iron or other cheap material, the device is particularly easy and inexpensive to apply. It is at the same time so arranged as to avoid interference with the parts of the spring construction. When the spring is compressed, either by the weight of the occupant, or for shipping purposes, the parts of the brace are not injured or distorted nor is any damage done to any portion of the spring or its frame members.

The described details'of construction and operation are merely illustrative of a single application of my invention, the scope of which should be determined by reference to the appended claims, said claims being construed as broadly as possible consistent with the state of the art.

I claim as my invention.

1. In a furniture construction, the com bination of a lower supporting frame, an upper frame provided with a border element, said frames being resiliently spaced apart, a link connected to said border element and extending downwardly and inwardly between said frames, an outer upwardly and inwardly extending link pivotally connecting a point on said lower frame inwardly of the border element with an intermediate point in the length of said link with an inner link pivotally connecting a point on said lower frame inwardly located with respect to the point of connection of said outer link with the lower end of said first link, said latter links being of each length and so connected to the first link that the border wire is prevented from swaying laterally and is capable of free up and down movement without bending any of said links.

2. In a furniture construction, the combination of a lower supporting frame, an upper frame provided with a border element, said frames being resiliently spaced apart, a link connected to said border element and extending downwardly and inwardly between said frames, an outer upwardly and inwardly extending link pivotally connecting a point on said lower frame inwardly. of the border element with an intermediate point in the length of said link and an inner link pivotally connecting a resaeea point on said lower frame inwardly located w th respect to the point of connection of said outerlink withthe lower end of said first link, the upper pivots of said last named 3. In combination, a lower horizontal supporting frame, an upper flexible horizontal frame resiliently spaced apart from said supporting frame and provided with a border element, a rigid link extending at an inclination to the vertical from the border element and towards the lower frame, a link connecting a point intermediate the length of said first link with said lower frame, and means connecting the lower end of the first link with said lower frame permitting substantially free inward movement of the lower end of said inclined link, the arrangement serving to confine the movement of said border wire to a substantially vertical 4. In furniture construction, the combination of a substantially rigid lower frame, a

flexible upper frame, said frames being disposed in substantially. parallel planes, a border element for said upper-frame, coil springs interposed between said frames and having their axes substantially perpendicular to the general planes of said frames, a

link connected to said border element andex- .tending downwardly and inwardly between said frames, a relatively shorter link connecting the lower end of said first link with said lower frame, and a third link connecting said lower frame with an intermediate point of said first link whereby said border wire is limited in its movement to a directional line substantially perpendicular to the planes of said, frames.

5. In a bed spring, the combination of a bottom support for a series of coiled springs,

a pair of upstanding and upwardly converging links pivotally connected to points on said support spaced at different distances from the edge of said support, a part pivotally connecting together the converging upper ends of said links, and provided with an outwardly extending portion, and a border wire connected to the upper ends of said springs and to said extension, the inner link being longer than one third of the distance between the pivotal points on said art.

DON CARLOS TRAVIS. 

